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By Dan Pontefract, 05/22/2010 11:22 AM

Perhaps prescient Churchill was not only referring to Russia, but the pending organizational cultural shift that beckons today’s companies and institutions.

Perhaps the riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma can be thought of as the relationship between leadership, org structure, learning and Enterprise 2.0. The riddle is that the components are inextricably linked.

Grow up. Deal with it.

Those of you on the learning side of the house need to embrace and understand the technology and leadership implications. Those of you solely focusing on leadership, need to see how learning and technology are key to the puzzle. And those that think it’s only a technology solution, fail to see that it’s the leadership, learning and org structure components that make the technology useable in the first place.

On May 8, 2010, I wrote about “The Holy Trinity: Leadership Framework, Learning 2.0 and Enterprise 2.0“. There was also some great dialogue between myself, Harold Jarche, Jon Husband and Thomas Stone.

I’ve recently realized, however, that in addition to my professional network (Harold, Jon, Thomas and many more) there are/were four books that helped me unravel the riddle, mystery and the enigma. Perhaps they too could help you in your quest for an organizational culture shift; an org that becomes more efficient and effective in the many facets of operating in the year 2010 and beyond, and that includes the contrivances I point out above.

I share with you now the four books (when put together) that could assist you in your thinking; how, when you combine the new org structure, leadership practice, Learning 2.0 and Enterprise 2.0 components, you will create a more productive, engaging and connected workforce:

Clearly there are other books out there, but when combining the four I describe above together, I believe you have a very solid recipe and start towards unravelling your riddle, mystery and enigma.

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By Dan Pontefract, 05/08/2010 10:10 AM

I find myself in the center of an intellectual tempest.

The traditional ‘learning’ folks are trying to sort out how to revolutionize the industry by augmenting their formal learning strategies to incorporate social media, social learning, social networking and the like. It’s a good thing to witness, but slow as molasses in some circles.

The Human Resources and Organizational Development folks are mulling over their competencies, values, leadership development programs, amongst other elements trying to embed flatter, more connected ways of working. Also good to see, but at times I see these folks in other companies plodding along without involvement of the Learning side of the house, or the technology outfits.

The technology groups (be it IT, Systems Analysts, ERP groups, etc.) are busy trying to synchronize existing investments with new instances of 2.0 collaboration technologies and platforms. They often do so without synchronizing their efforts with the Learning function(s) or the HR/OD groups.

And finally, corporate communications, marketing and even perhaps splinter social media teams are all either contemplating or incorporating social media, social networking and/or social learning concepts into their workflows.

Do you notice something here?

As I’ve written about previously, I believe that an organization needs not only an internal 2.0 Adoption Council, they need a cross-functional team (the Enterprise 2.0 Org Structure) to help ensure all the various pieces of a 2.0 world seamlessly come together, mitigating any confusion for the employee, partner, or customer.

But to get this going, I believe we need to introduce, recognize and accept the New Holy Culture Trinity for the Organization. That is, an updated leadership framework, coupled with the integration of Learning 2.0 and Enterprise 2.0 concepts will help drive or augment a 2.0 connected ‘culture of collaboration’.

Together, united, in unison.

Actions:

• Update your existing “Leadership Framework”
  • Every organization has their mission statement, their values, their competencies, their leadership programs — each of these could potentially be ‘updated’ to incorporate a flatter, more connected way of operating as individuals, in teams, and as an organization. (think Tom Malone -–Future of Work)
• Implement “Learning 2.0”
  • Whether you have an internal corporate university, a decentralized learning structure, or a completely outsourced model, your model should be adapted to be formal, informal and social. Whether it’s old school or not, the ‘learning department’ plays a significant role for the organization, and if adapting to a 2.0 culture, it needs to grow up. (a little more info about Learning 2.0 here)
• Enlist “Enterprise 2.0″ Technologies
  • Not in isolation, but as part of the puzzle, Enterprise 2.0 technologies such as wikis, blogs, video system, rankings, ratings, comments, discussion forums, profiles, networks, micro-blogs, content sharing, site sharing, etc. can all become an integral part of the new culture, if mapped in accordance with the updated leadership framework and Learning 2.0 concepts.

I’ve written about Learnerprise in the past (the combination of Learning 2.0 and Enterprise 2.0) so think of the Holy Culture Trinity as a more thoughtful way of ensuring organizational success, keeping all three concepts in mind.

UPDATE: looks as though Ross Dawson is thinking similarly with “What Enterprise 2.0 means for the CIO and IT department“.

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By Dan Pontefract, 04/08/2010 10:13 PM

In the title of this post, I’m paying homage to Dr. Don Morgenson, professor emeritus of psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Recently, Dr. Morgenson wrote an opinion piece in The Globe and Mail entitled “Open Spaces, Open Minds”. In it, he cringes at the uprising of physical fences in our neighbourhoods and as a general consequence, the closing off of our minds, our ideas, our innovation, our future.

NIMBY now takes physical form, with most backyards today inaccessible. Clearly, some of this territoriality results from fear – of thieves, burglars and more, but the symbolic aspects of these changes may indicate not merely closing off properties but as (John) Updike suggests, a closing of minds.

I could not help but think that the fence in Morgenson’s piece is analogous to the business unit silos in today’s organization.

Organizational silos occur not from thieves and burglars, but from apathy, hierarchy, red tape and fear.

I can’t think of a single benefit when it comes to organizational silos. It is another example of how we are closing our minds, walling our innovation, and foregoing a more productive and networked organization.

Morgenson goes on to write:

Great nations have become great partly because of accessibility: the central notion of preserving wide open spaces for all, but also they have sought the preservation of wide open minds. Very simply, such openness stimulates the imagination, promotes new ideas, new approaches to old problems, and creates new communities, all of which ensure the growth and development of the country itself.

This astute professor is first suggesting that we, as a society (at least in Canada) are closing our minds and becoming territorial as we erect fences in our neighbourhoods, shutting ourselves from the imaginations of each other. Subsequently, to remedy the issue, we need to set fire to the fences and re-establish the open neighbourhood.

Enterprise 2.0, Social Learning, Learnerprise, whatever you want to call it, clearly articulates that an open 2.0 culture can and will instil said openness, imagination, growth, and promotion of ideas and innovation.

A reclamation process must begin. We must reclaim our generosity, our openness, our accessibility as individuals. The solution to fenced-in minds is to bring the fences down, bringing us together, as this great nation’s people.

I wholeheartedly agree. Our organizations need to embrace the open culture, Enterprise 2.0, Social Learning, Media and Networking; not because it’s cool but because it stimulates the very growth of the organization through open borders, broken silos, and connected people.

If the C-Suite is looking for ROI, let’s not prove it by return on investment, but by return on intelligence. The intelligence being returned to the organization through an open culture, leading to innovation, engagement and overarching profitability.

Our reclamation process must begin. It’s the reclamation of an open, networked, and dare I say wirearchical organization.